Mobile ballast sweeping and redistribution machine

ABSTRACT

A mobile ballast sweeping and redistributing machine comprises a rotary broom, ballast conveyor means continuously operable independently of the machine movement for conveying the swept ballast away from the broom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast received from the conveyor means.

United States Patent Inventors Franz Plasser;

Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3,

1010 Vienna, Austria Appl. No. 803,570 Filed Mar. 3, 1969 Patented Oct.12, 1971 Priority Mar. 20, 1968 Austria MOBILE BALLAST SWEEPING ANDREDISTRIBUTION MACHINE 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 171/16 E0lb 27/00 Field ofSearch 171/16; 104/7 [56] Renal/SimsCited UNITED STATES- PATENTS 1,918,348 7/1933 Neddermyer 171/162,196,880 4/1940 Van Voorhis et aL. 171/16 2,899,759 8/1959 Campbell171/16 x 3,426,379 2/1969 Holley et al...- 171/16 x PrimaryExaminer-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Kurt Kelrnan ABSTRACT: A mobileballast sweeping and redistributing machine comprises a rotary broom,ballast conveyormeans continuously operable independently of the machinemovement for conveying the swept ballast away from the broom, and meansfor the continuous redistribution of the ballast received from theconveyor means.

PATENTEU OCT 1 2 l97| SHEET 2 0F 2 INVIN'I'OIS FRANZ PL ASSER JOSEFTHEURER HGGNT MOBILE BALLAST SWEEPING AND REDISTRIBUTION MACHINEBACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates toimprovements in a mobile machine for sweeping ballast off a railroadtrack including two rails mounted on ties and for redistributing theswept ballast.

Known machines of this type comprise a substantially horizontallyextendingrotary broom extending transversely'of the track and havingpreferably elastic sweeping elements extending radially from the rotaryaxle of the broom to contact respective ones of the ties in theoperating position of the broom. Means is preferably provided to adjustthe rotary broom vertically to move it into an inoperative position, anda ballast conveyor means is arranged to receive and remove ballast sweptby the broom off the track. I

It is the primary object of this invention to improve machines of thistype so that they will be capable of continuously and effectivelydistributing the ballast over desired areas of the track.

This and other objects of the invention are accomplished by making theballast conveyor means continuously operable independently of themachine movement, particularly while the machine moves in a workingdirection, to convey ballast received from the sweeping elements of thebroom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast isassociated with the ballast conveyor means. It is within the scope ofthis invention for the redistribution means to be part of the conveyormeans.

It is an essential feature of the present invention to provideindependent drive means for the conveyor means so that the conveyor maybe continuously operated independently of the speed of the movingmachine, or when the machine stands still. It is equally essential thatthe broom continuously delivers swept ballast to the conveyor means sothat the broom serves not only to sweep the ballast but to supplyballast in a continuous flow to the means for redistributing the same indesired areas of the track.

While the conveyor means may take various forms, a preferred embodimentcomprises an endless conveyor extending at an angle to the track rails,preferably transversely thereto, the conveyor being arranged indirectlyto receive swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements andhaving a ballast discharge end, and an elongated endless conveyor havinga ballast-receiving end arranged to receive the ballast discharged atthe discharge end and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyedballast to the redistribution means. I

The conveyor means preferably take the form of endless conveyor bands,endless chain conveyors, endless link conveyors, or endless bucketconveyors, the bands, chains or links being provided with suitableballast-engaging elements to take the ballast along on the movingconveyors.

As indicated hereinabove, the ballast redistribution means may be partof the conveyor means. However, according to a preferred embodiment, aseparate ballast-distributing arrangement is associated with thedischarge end of a preferably upwardly inclined elongated ballastconveyor forming part of the conveyor means. The ballast-redistributingmeans may include a plow, a chute system, a ballast-cleaning deviceand/or a ballast storage receptacle having discharge parts forselectively discharging stored ballast to the track.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantagesand features of this invention will become more apparent in thefollowing detailed description of two now preferred embodiments thereof,which are provided merely to illustrate the principles of the invention,and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I isa schematic side view of one embodiment of a mobile machine according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1 taken in the direction of arrow II inFIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of another embodiment; FIG. 4 is a topview of FIG. 3 taken in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3; and FIG. 4ashows a modification of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing wherein like referencenumerals in all figures indicate like parts operating in a like manner,FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mobile machine including a frame 1 on which anoperators cabin 2 is mounted, and which is mounted for mobility on atrack for moving in the working direction indicated by the arrow W inFIG. 1. Running gears 5 and 6 support the frame on the track whichincludes two rails 7 mounted on ties 8 which rest on ballast 9. Thedrive means 3 for operating the machine are mounted at the front end ofthe machine, as is a vertically adjustable ballast plow 4 designed forcoarse levelling and corresponding redistribution of ballast as themachine advances in the working direction, and when the plow is loweredinto a ballast-engaging position.

The rear end of the machine frame 1 carries a rotary broom 10 ofgenerally conventional form, consisting of a rotary axle 10 a extendingat least substantially horizontally and transversely of the track, and amultiplicity of sweeping elements 10b which are radially extending,elastic members arranged to contact at least the upper surfaces ofrespective ties when the broom has been lowered into its operatingposition.

Upwardly extending sheet metal guide 11 is associated with the broom toreceive swept ballast from the sweeping elements of the broom and guideit upwardly to a pair of endless conveyors 12, 12 arranged to receiveswept ballast indirectly, i.e. via the guide 11. The conveyors extend atan angle, i.e. perpendicularly, to the track rails, and each conveyorincludes an endless conveyor band moving in opposite directions towardtheir respective discharge ends 12'. The ballast receiving end 13 of anelongated endless conveyor 13 is arranged centrally between the twoconveyor bands to receive the ballast from the discharge ends 12' of theendless conveyor bands. The elongated endless conveyor 13 is upwardlyinclined to move the ballast towards the discharge end l3" of theconveyor, a series of ballast-engaging elements 136 being provided onthe conveyor to hold the ballast thereon during the upward movement.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the conveyor pair l2, 12 is mounted above thereceiving end 13' of conveyor 13 so that the ballast will drop from thedischarge ends 12' of the conveyors l2, 12 to the receiving end 13 ofthe conveyor 13.

Broom l0, conveyor bands l2, l2 and the lower or receiving end 13' ofconveyor 13 are mounted in a common housing 14 to form a unit which iscarried by swivel arms l4", 14''. Hydraulic motors 14a are provided foroperating the swivel arms and thus to make it possible to lift theentire unit from the operating to an inoperative position, or evenslightly to adjust the height of the broom 10 in relation to the ballastbed and/or the ties.

The unit 14 also includes a ballast-levelling device 14' to level theballast bed outside the rails. This unit constitutes a continuouslyoperating ballast-conveying means and, according to the invention, acontinuously operating ballast-redistributing means is associated withthe conveying mea'ns, two preferred redistributing means beingillustrated but many other embodiments thereof being within the skill ofthe art.

In the embodiment of FIGS. I and 2, the ballast redistributing meansincludes a ballast storage receptacle 15 mounted adjacent the dischargeend 13" of conveyor 13 and therebelow to receive the ballast from theconveyor by gravity. The receptacle has one wall formed as a chutedelivering ballast to a discharge port in the bottom 15" of thereceptacle. The discharge port may be selectively opened and closed bymeans of a pivotal closure operated by hydraulic motoi' 15" toredistribute the ballast.

another embodiment off the ballast-redistributing means is shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, only those portions of the machine being describedhereinafter which differ from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 to avoidrepetition. A ballast delivery control device 16, which takes the formof a chute, is arranged adjacent the discharge end 13" of conveyor 13and is designed selectively to direct the conveyed ballast to a pair ofendless conveyor bands 17, 17 mounted adjacent to the chute andextending transversely of the track. The inclination of chute 16 isadjustable to control the amount of the ballast directed to the oneand/or the other conveyor band 17, depending on the roadbed conditionsand the amount of the ballast required for redistribution in a giventrack area. The discharge ends of the conveyor bands 17 deliver theselected and controlled amount of ballast to the ballast receiving endsof a pair of elongated endless conveyor bands 18, 18 which extendadjacent and substantially parallel to the track rails in the generaldirection of the track.

The elongated conveyor bands 18 serve solely to distribute the ballastover desired areas of the roadbed and are mounted for pivotal movementin a horizontal plane (see arrows R in FIG. 4) on pivots 18', 18'. Thedischarge ends of these conveyor bands are in the range of rotary broomfor redistributing the ballast in this area of the track. The conveyorsshown in full lines in FIG. 4 extend with their discharge endsrearwardly beyond the broom while the modified version shown in FIG. 40uses shorter conveyors 118 whose discharge ends extend to a point infront of the broom.

Since the speed of movement of the conveyor bands 17, 17, as well as ofconveyors 18, 18, may be varied, the direction of the movement of theseconveyors may be reversed, as shown by arrows 17a, 17b and 18a, 18b,respectively, and the length and lateral position of conveyors 18, 18may be changed, too, as shown by the modifications illustrated in FIGS.4 and 4a; the amount and exact location of ballast discharge to thetrack may be controlled very closely.

While the invention has been described in connection with certainpreferred embodiments, it will be understood that many modifications andvariations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

ll. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track includingtwo rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed andties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed,comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extendingtransversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arrangedto contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in anoperating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged toreceive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyormeans including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballastreceived from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, andfurther including a transversely extending endless conveying means, therotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards thetransversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extendingconveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge theballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extendingin the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive theconveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistributethe received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvementof said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge meansselectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of theballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprisinga pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end,and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotarybroom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arrangedto guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands,the ballast-conveying means extendreceiving end arran ed to receive theballast from the discharging ends of t e conveyor bands, the conveyorbands moving in opposite directions each towards the respectivedischarge end.

2. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising means forvertically adjusting the rotary broom.

3. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the rotary broom sweepingelements are radially extending, elastic members.

4. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising a frame mounted formobility on the track and having a front end and a rear end, asdetermined by the working direction of the machine, the rear end of themachine frame carrying a unit including the broom and the ballastconveyor means, and pressure-fluid-operated means for lifting the unitfrom the operating position of the broom to an inoperative position.

5. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-conveying meansextending in the direction of track elongation is mounted between theelongated conveyor bands and has a ballast discharge end, and furthercomprising a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands eachhaving a ballast-receiving end and a ballast discharge end, the latterconveyor bands, moving in opposite directions each towards therespective discharge end, and the receiving ends of the latter conveyorbands, the ballast-conveying means being mounted between the latterconveyor bands with the discharge end of the ballast-conveying meansbeing adjacent the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, and thedischarge ends of the latter conveyor bands being adjacent the elongatedconveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation.

6. The mobile machine of claim 5, wherein each of said elongatedconveyor bands has a ballast discharge end adjacent the rotary broom.

7. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-redistributingmeans includes a ballast storage receptacle and chute means associatedwith the receptacle for selectively discharging stored ballast to thetrack.

8. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track includingtwo rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed andties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed,comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extendingtransversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arrangedto contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in anoperating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged toreceive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyormeans including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballastreceived from the sweeping ele ments of the broom in said direction, andmeans arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from theballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to theballast bed, which includes the improvement of saidbalance-redistributing means including ballast discharge meansselectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballastbed, the ballastredistributing means including a pair of elongatedconveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, arespective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent arespective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotalabout a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends ofthe conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballastbed, and said ballastconveying means comprising an elongated endlessconveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receivethe swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballastdischarge end discharging the conveyed ballast to theballast-redistributing means.

1. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track includingtwo rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed andties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed,comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extendingtransversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arrangedto contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in anoperating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged toreceive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyormeans including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballastreceived from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, andfurther including a transversely extending endless conveying means, therotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards thetransversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extendingconveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge theballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extendingin the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive theconveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistributethe received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvementof said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge meansselectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of theballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprisinga pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end,and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotarybroom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arrangedto guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands,the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of trackelongation being mounted between the endless conveyor bands and having aballast receiving end arranged to receive the ballast from thedischarging ends of the conveyor bands, the conveyor bands moving inopposite directions each towards the respective discharge end.
 2. Themobile machine of claim 1, further comprising means for verticallyadjusting the rotary broom.
 3. The mobile machine of claim 1, whereinthe rotary broom sweeping elements are radially extending, elasticmembers.
 4. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising a framemounted for mobility on the track and having a front end and a rear end,as determined by the working direction of the machine, the rear end ofthe machine frame carrying a unit including the broom and the ballastconveyor means, and pressure-fluid-operated means for lifting the unitfrom the operating position of the broom to an inoperative position. 5.The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-conveying meansextending in the direction of track elongation is mounted between theelongated conveyor bands and has a ballast discharge end, and furthercomprising a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands eachhaving a ballast-receiving end and a ballast discharge end, the latterconveyor bands, moving in opposite directions each towards therespective discharge end, and the receiving ends of the latter conveyorbands, the ballast-conveying means being mounted between the latterconveyor bands with the discharge end of the ballast-conveying meansbeing adjacent the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, and thedischarge ends of the latter conveyor bands being adjacent the elongatedconveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation.
 6. Themobile machine of claim 5, wherein each of said elongated conveyor bandshas a ballast discharge end adjacent the rotary broom.
 7. The mobilemachine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-redistributing means includes aballast storage receptacle and chute means associated with thereceptacle for selectively discharging stored ballast to the track.
 8. Amobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including tworails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and tiesand for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprisinga substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extendingtransversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arrangedto contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in anoperating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged toreceive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyormeans including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballastreceived from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, andmeans arranged to receive the conveyed Ballast from theballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to theballast bed, which includes the improvement of saidbalance-redistributing means including ballast discharge meansselectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballastbed, the ballast-redistributing means including a pair of elongatedconveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, arespective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent arespective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotalabout a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends ofthe conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballastbed, and said ballast-conveying means comprising an elongated endlessconveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receivethe swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballastdischarge end discharging the conveyed ballast to theballast-redistributing means.